A PAIR of history-makers will take to the track at Knockhill this summer after more big names were unveiled for a showcase event.

Former female World Rally Championship winners Louise Aitken-Walker MBE, together with her co-driver, Tina Thorner, will travel to West Fife in July to take part in the McRae Rally Challenge.

The event, which will be held over the weekend of July 2-3, will be run for a second time to commemorate the achievements of the late Colin McRae, who in 1995 became Britain's first world rally champion, and those of his father, Jimmy; brother, Alister; and Alister's son, and current rising star, Max.

Louise, who in 2002 was inducted into the Scottish Sports Hall of Fame, and Swede Tina became the first females to win the global title in 1990 and they will be at Scotland's national motorsport venue over both days, driving in cars that they have competed in previously as they take part in the 'Parade of Champions'.

A former team-mate in the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) of fellow Scot John Cleland in a Vauxhall Astra in 1989, the year he won the first of his two titles, Louise joined forces a year later with Tina, who herself continued to achieve success as a co-driver, which included partnering Colin McRae in 2004 and 2005 on long-distance Safari-type events.

Confirmation of their attendance at the McRae Rally Challenge follows that of Welshman Elfyn Evans, a Red Bull-sponsored World Rally Championship (WRC) racer and his father, Gwyndaf, a former winner of the British Rally Championship.

They will also be joined at the iconic West Fife venue by Olympic cycling legend Sir Chris Hoy, who is friends with the McRae family.

The six-time Olympic champion has tested himself in motorsport since retiring from the bike in 2013, having joined the European Les Mans Series grid two years later.

The McRae Rally Challenge will incorporate a variety of attractions, including two, one-day single rallies, a power-stage finale, a junior rally event, a head-to-head 'battle of the McRaes', static displays and dramatic, on-stage rally action.

An official ribbon ceremony to mark the renaming of the right-hand corner at the bottom of Duffus Dip as 'McRae's' at all rally and rallycross events will also take place, after the venue decided to mark the family's legacy.

Jimmy was the first to race on the track at Knockhill and is the current record winner of the British Rally Championship, having claimed five titles, and also competed in the World Rally Championship.

Two of his three sons, Colin and Alister, followed him into the sport, with Colin, who died in 2007, winning the British Rally Championship in 1991 and 1992.

In 1995, he also became the first Scot – and the youngest driver – to win the World Rally Championship title, while Alister was a British Rally Championship winner in the same year.

For full event details, and ticket information, visit www.knockhill.com/events/fixture-McRae-Rally-Challenge-id333.